Automatic drain



Jan. 1o, 1939. D; BANKS 2,143,469

l AUTOMATIC DRAIN Filed March 14, 1938 Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,143,469 AUTOMATIC DRAIN 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to and has for an object the provision of an improved drain device which is adapted to be placed over the drain opening of a sink, bath tub, basin or other receptacle into which liquid is continuously fed, for creating and maintaining a clean bath suitable for continuously washing photographic lms, prints and other objects and articles, to remove therefrom the developing chemicals and solutions and other liquids and solutions which have been applied thereto in the development and treatment thereof, and for other purposes.

Another object is to provide an automatic drain oi the character described, which will maintain a predetermined level and amount of liquid in the receptacle in which it is placed, While continuously draining from the lower part of the body of liquid in such receptacle, the heavier chemical solutions and liquids which are washed from the films, prints and other articles, whereby to provide and maintain a clean and clear bath at all times.

A further object is to provide an automatic drain of the character described, by means of which the bath liquid may be continuously introduced into the receptacle in which the device is placed, without agitating the bath and thereby miidng the chemical solutions washed from the objects, with the bath liquid, whereby such solutions will be maintained at levels below the surface of the bath liquid and will be contnuously drained from the bath.

The invention hereof further comprehends the provision of an automatic drain device which is embodied as a tubular body consisting of upright tubular portions or legs joined at their upper ends, one of said legs being provided with a rubber mat to serve as a closure for the drain opening of a sink, basin or the like, and also discharging into said opening, and the other leg having its lower end adapted to be placed close to the bottom of the receptacle to serve as an intake for draining the lower portion of the body of liquid maintained in the receptacle; there being a vent tube extending through the outlet leg of the device to the atmosphere to prevent air traps from interfering with the discharge through the drain opening and there also being a vent at the juncture of said two legs to prevent a siphoning action.

I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred form of drain device embodying my invention, subject however, to modication within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention,

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l represents an enlarged fragmentary view of a drain device constructed in accordance with this invention and as when applied to a sink or like receptacle, to maintain a liquid bath therein, a portion of such receptacle being shown;

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary front elevation of the device of this invention;

Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of the drain device;

Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the device;

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged perspective view of the means provided on the device for introducing the bath liquid into the receptacle without agitating the bath;

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary bottom plan view of the outlet of said drain device.

One form of drain device which may be made in accordance with this invention is shown in detail in the accompanying drawing and primarily comprises a body I consisting of a tubular upright intake leg 2 and a tubular upright outlet leg 3 joined at their upper ends. The inlet leg 2 is slightly shorter than the leg 3 and its lower intake end 4 is adapted to be disposed close to the bottom 5 of the receptacle 6 in which the device is placed. On the other hand the outlet leg 3 is adapted to have its lower discharge end 'I placed over the drain openingk 8 of the receptacle 6 and is also provided with and supports a circular rubber mat 9 which is adapted to extend over and close the opening 8, whereby to prevent liquid from draining from the receptacle. directly into said opening 8. Formed on the mat 9 are upstanding fingers or projections I0 located adjacent the intake end 4 to prevent Iilms or other objects indicated at A, from being drawn under said outlet or becoming entangled with the drain device. The suction set up in the drain opening 8 will maintain the rubber mat in place and thereby hold the outlet end 1 in registration with the drain opening 8.

For the purpose of preventing a siphoning action, the upper end of the body I is provided with a vent II, and for the purpose of insuring a flow of liquid through the leg 3 into the drain opening 8 a vent tube I2 is mounted in said leg 3 and is communicated with the atmosphere at its upper end and with said drainv opening 8 at its lower end. The lower end 'I is provided with an apertured web portion I2 to hold the tube I2 in place.

It will now be seen that when the device of this invention is placed over the drain opening 8 of a sink or other receptacle, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, and liquid from any suitable source (not shown) is continuously fed into said receptacle as for the purpose of providing a washing bath for photographic lms, prints orV other articles, a liquid bath will be maintained at a predetermined level which is determined by the height of the legs 2 and 3 and yet the liquid will be continuously drained through the legs 2 and S and discharged through the drain opening 8. Inasmuch as the intake end li of the drain device is located adjacent the bottom of the receptacle 6 it is seen that the heavier chemical solutions or the like, indicated at B and which are washed from the lms, prints or other objects emersed in the bath, and lie closer to said bottom than to the surface of the bath, will first be drained through the intake Ai, and that very little of the bath solution which is free of said chemical solution, will be drained from the receptacle. This will provide for a bath, the major portion of which is substantially clean and free from the presence of chemicals and other treating solutions. Thus photographic films, prints and the like may becontinuously washed in a clean bath provided by means of the device of this invention.

I may provide as an attachment on the body i, means for continuously feeding the bath solution into the receptacle in such manner as to avoid agitating the bath. As here shown this may be accomplished by a tubular fitting i3 secured by fastenings ii to the upper end of the body i. One end of this fitting is adapted for connection with a rubber or other ilexible hose i5 which is connected with a source of supply of bath liquid, not show'n, whereas the other end of the litting is provided with a right-angularly and outwardly extended iiattened outlet mouth i6 having hori- Zontal slot-like outlet orices Il. This will direct the liquid laterally over the top of the bath without agitating the body of the liquid comprising the bath.

It will now be seen that the drain device of this invention makes possible the efficient use of sinks, basins and bath tubs for washing photographic iilm and. the like, in that it not only maintains a uniform and predetermined level and amount of bath liquid, but constantly drains therefrom the undesirable portions of the bath made up of solutions of the chemicals washed from objects placed in the bath and which accumulate adjacent the bottom of the receptacle.

While the device hereof is primarily designed for use in providing baths suitable for washing photographic ilms and prints and other objects from which treatment solutions must be washed, it is apparent that said device may be eicaciously employed for any other purpose wherein it is desired to maintain a constant level of liquid while draining from below the surface of such body of liquid, or for draining off lower levels of a liquid body composed of liquids of diierent specific gravities.

I claim:

l. An automatic drain for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in a sink or other receptacle having a drain opening and into which liquid is continuously fed, including a body composed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper endsrand provided respectively with an intake and an outlet opening below said upper ends, and a closure member on the body for `closing the drain opening oiga sink or otherreceptacle and maintaining said outlet in communication with said drain opening, said intake being so located as to provide for draining liquid from below the surface of the body of liquid contained in said sink or receptacle.

2. An automatic drain for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in a sink or other receptacle having a drain opening and into which liquid is continuously fed, including a body composed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and provided respectively with an intake and an outlet opening below said upper ends, and a closure member on the body for closing the drain opening of a sink or other receptacle and maintaining said outlet incommunication with said drain opening, said intake being so located as to provide for draining liquid from below the surface of the body of liquid contained in said sink or receptacle, said body having a vent in the upper end thereof for Acommunicating the upper ends of said tubular portions with the atmosphere. v

3. An automatic drain for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in a sink or other receptacle having a drain opening and into which liquid is continuously fed, including a body composed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and provided respectively with'an intake and an outlet opening below said upper ends, and a closure member on one of the tubular portions for closing the drain opening of a sink or other receptacle and maintaining said outlet in communication with said drain opening, said intake being so located as to provide for draining liquid from below the surface of the body of liquid contained in said sink or receptacle, and a vent tube eX- tending through said body for communicating the drain opening with the atmosphere.

4. An automatic drain for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in a sink or other receptacle having a drain opening and into which liquid is continuously fed, including a body composed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and provided respectively with an intake and an outlet opening below said upper ends, a closure member on the 1body for closing the drain opening of a sink or other receptacle and maintaining said outlet in communication with said drain opening, said intake being so located as to provide for draining liquid from below the surface of the body of liquid contained in said sink or receptacle, and a vent tube extending through said body for communicating the drain opening with the atmosphere, said body having a vent in the upper end thereof for communicating the upper ends of said tubular portions with the atmosphere to prevent a siphoning action.

5. An automatic drain including a body formed i of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and having their lower ends open for respectively intaking and discharging liquid, one of said tubular portions having its open end above the open end of the other tubular portion and a closure member mounted upon the body for closing the drain opening of a sink or like receptacle in which the device is placed.

6. An automatic drain including a body formed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and having their lower ends open for respectively intaking and discharging liquid, one of said tubular portions having its open end above the open end of the other tubular portions and a closure member mounted upon the lower end of one of the tubular 75 portions for closing the drain opening of a sink or like receptacle in which the device is placed, said closure member extending beneath and spaced below the lower end of the other of the tubular portions.

7. An automatic drain including a body formed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and having their lower ends open for respectively intaking and discharging liquid, one of said tubular portions having its open end above the open end of the other tubular portion and a closure member mounted upon the lower end of one of the tubular portions for closing the drain opening of a sink or like receptacle in which the device is placed, said closure member extending beneath and spaced below the lower end of the other tubular portion, and upstanding ngers on said closure member at a point adjacent the lower end of last named tubular portion.

3. An automatic drain including a body formed of upright tubular portions communicating with one another at their upper ends and having their lower ends open for respectively intaking and discharging liquid, one of said tubular portions having its open end above the open end of the other tubular portion and a closure member mounted upon the lower end of one of the tubular portions for closing the drain opening of a sink or like receptacle in which the device is placed, said body having a vent in the upper end thereof to prevent siphoning action, and a tube extending through one of the tubular portions and open at its ends for venting to the atmosphere the drain opening over which the closure member is placed.

DEAN BANKS. 

